10 Downing Street: Employees

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the terms of Mr Adair Turner's employment in 10 Downing Street; and what are his responsibilities; and
	What are the terms of Mr Nick Lovegrove's employment by the Downing Street Forward Strategy Unit; and what are his responsibilities.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Mr Adair Turner and Mr Nick Lovegrove are no longer employed in 10 Downing Street.

10 Downing Street: Lord Birt's Office

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the nature, timescale and estimated cost of the repairs to the Lord Birt's office at Number 10 Downing Street; and what alternative office accommodation will be made available.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The cost of the repair and associated cleaning was £2,773. This took one week to complete. As this work has been completed no alternative accommodation is necessary.

Absence from Work

Baroness Howe of Idlicote: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What were the average yearly rates of absence from work on account of sickness for each year since 1990 for the following (a) the United Kingdom economy as a whole; (b) the private sector; (c) the public sector; and (d) prison officers.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

Advisory Committee on Business Appointments

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many former civil servants or political advisors that have left 10 Downing Street in the past three years are subject to restrictions on their activities imposed by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments; and what is the nature of any such restriction for each individual in question; and
	How many former civil servants or political advisers that have left 10 Downing Street in the past three years and who are currently employed by McKinsey and Company Incorporated are still subject to restrictions on their activities imposed by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments; and what is the nature of any such restriction for each individual in question; and
	How many rulings from the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments have been overturned in the past 10 years; and for each case what the reasons were for the decision.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: All civil servants, including special advisers, are subject to rules on the acceptance of outside appointments. The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments considers and makes recommendations to the Prime Minister on applications from the most senior staff. When an appointment has been taken up, the committee publishes its recommendations in its annual reports, which are available in the Library of the House and on the committee's website at www.acoba.gov.uk.
	Professor Sir Michael Barber is leaving the Cabinet Office at the end of July and will take up an appointment with McKinsey and Company, which will be subject to conditions recommended by the committee. There is no record of any other civil servants, including special advisers, having left No. 10 Downing Street in the past three years to work for McKinsey and Company.

Annual Reports

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the weight of each of the annual reports of Government departments issued recently; how many copies of each were printed; and how much recycled material was used in the paper on which they were printed.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The table sets out the details of each of the departmental reports which have been published at 30 June 2005.
	
		
			 Report Weight (kilos) Quantity Printed Minimum Recycled Material Used 
			 Cm 6522—Education and   Skills 0.652 1,150 75 per cent 
			 Cm 6523—Ofsted 0.174 1,190 75 per cent 
			 Cm 6524—Health 0.811 1,500 None 
			 Cm 6525—Food   Standards Agency 0.373 1,000 75 per cent 
			 Cm 6526—Office of   Deputy Prime Minister 0.590 1,000 75 per cent 
			 Cm 6527—Transport 1.321 1,000 75 per cent 
			 Cm 6528—Home Office 0.680 1,600 75 per cent 
			 Cm 6529—Charity   Commission 0.117 575 75 per cent 
			 Cm 6530—Constitutional   Affairs 0.800 1,280 75 per cent 
			 Cm 6531—Law Officers 0.429 765 75 per cent 
			 Cm 6532—Defence NYP NYP 75 per cent 
			 Cm 6533—Foreign and   Commonwealth Office 1.005 1,500 75 per cent 
			 Cm 6534—International   Development 0.999 3,000 75 per cent 
			 Cm 6535—UK Trade 0.137 700 75 per cent 
			 Cm 6536—Trade and   Industry 1.088 960 75 per cent 
			 Cm 6537—Environment,   Food and Rural Affairs 1.346 1,400 80 per cent 
			 Cm 6538—Culture,   Media and Sport 0.469 1,500 80 per cent 
			 Cm 6539—Work and   Pensions 0.972 1,200 80 per cent 
			 Cm 6540—HM Treasury 0.472 600 75 per cent 
			 Cm 6541—Government   Actuary's NYP NYP 75 per cent 
			 Cm 6542—HM Revenue   and Customs 0.401 1,250 75 per cent 
			 Cm 6543—Cabinet Office 0.286 680 75 per cent 
			 Cm 6544—Scotland   Office 0.266 700 75 per cent 
			 Cm 6545—Wales Office 0.303 750 75 per cent 
			 Cm 6546—Northern   Ireland Office 0.727 685 75 per cent 
			 Cm 6547—National   Savings and   Investments 0.129 600 ISO Accredited,Sustainable Forest,Chlorine Free 
		
	
	The quantity printed for each report is a matter for the publisher who generally accepts the financial risks involved in publishing. The quantity will take account of the known requirements of the department and Parliament and the expected sales to business, Libraries and the general public. Copies of all of the reports are also available on departmental websites and can be freely downloaded and copied.

Asylum Seekers: Children

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many unaccompanied children are detained in centres for asylum seekers.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Unaccompanied children are not normally detained under immigration Act powers. The only limited exception to this general position is where it is sometimes necessary to detain unaccompanied children whilst alternative arrangements are made for their care and safety, and normally then just overnight. Information on the number of unaccompanied children detained in such exceptional circumstances is not available. It would only be available by examination of individual case files at disproportionate cost. Information on people detained under immigration Act powers may be found on the Home Office research development and statistics directorate website at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Badgers

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why evidence collected under the Krebs trial of badger culling is not currently in the public domain; and whether they intend to publish the findings of the trial.

Lord Bach: The independent scientific group on cattle TB (ISG) has advised that it is a fundamental principle of scientific trials that data must not be released prematurely, since this could compromise the subsequent integrity of the trials. A great deal of data have been collected and the ISG has started a number of analyses, and plans more. As these are completed results will be made known to Ministers and be published, where possible, in peer reviewed scientific journals.
	The ISG has also said it will inform Ministers about any significant findings before the trials are complete. They have already done this with the reactive elements of the trials, which were suspended as a result.
	The ISG aims to reveal the outcome of the proactive culling effect of the randomised badger culling trial to Ministers in spring 2006 and publish its final report, covering all its works and findings, in spring 2007.

Biometric Readers

The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why there is a difference between the regulatory impact assessment on the Asylum and Immigration Bill which estimated the cost of installing iris scan biometric passport readers in 47 major airports and ports at £25,000 to £27,000 each, as compared with the current working assumption in the regulatory impact assessment on the Identity Cards Bill that "the cost of card readers would fall within a range of £250 to £270".

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Estimates in the partial regulatory impact assessment (RIA), published with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Bill entitled "Checking biometric data on arrival" were £3,000 to 5,000 for passport readers and £3,000 to £5,000 for visa readers. Estimates for biometric readers published in the RIA with the ID Cards Bill were £250 to £750. Costs for biometric readers at border control will differ from those used to read ID cards as the technologies within ID cards and some biometric documents presented at border control are different. Document readers at the border must be able to read all types of biometric documents issued by countries and all types of biometric identifiers. They also need to anticipate documents and biometric identifiers that may be introduced in the future.

British Citizenship

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether (a) a British subject under the British Nationality Act 1981, other than by connection to the Republic of Ireland, or (b) a British protected person who acquires by registration Overseas Citizenship of India would automatically lose the status as a British subject or British protected person as a consequence; and
	Whether an otherwise stateless British overseas citizen, British subject under the British Nationality Act 1981 or British protected person who acquires overseas citizenship of India would automatically cease to have an entitlement to register as a British citizen under Section 4B of the British Nationality Act 1981.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: If a British subject under the British Nationality Act 1981, other than by connection to the Republic of Ireland, or a British protected person acquired India overseas citizenship they would automatically lose their status as a British subject or British protected person. Any British national holding Indian overseas citizenship would be ineligible for registration under Section 4B since they could not meet the requirements of Section 4B(2)(b) of the British Nationality Act 1981 to hold no other citizenship or nationality.

Cabinet Office: Communication Professionals

Baroness Wilcox: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many press officers and other communication professionals were employed both full time and part time by the Cabinet Office in each of the past eight years.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The information requested is shown in the table. The information provided is for as at 1 April each year. The figures include support staff, as it is not possible separately to identify job roles from the available records.
	
		Full time equivalent communication staff for Cabinet Office
		
			 Management Units 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 
			 Communication Group: Press Officers 11 14 20 1 16 18 8.5 7.5 9 
			 Communication Group: non-press 2 0 5.21 7.65 15 21.64 24.68 31.25 32.8 
			 Government Communication (formerly GICS) 3 5 11 13.67 14.67 17.7 27.06 22.39 20.62 
			 Media Monitoring Unit  7  10 11 13 15 10 
			 Government News Network 111.76 121.49 121.59  
			 Annual Total 18 37.21 50.32 55.67 180.10 194.73 197.73 72.42 
		
	
	Note 1: The Press Office figure for 2000 includes press officers specifically employed to manage the genetically modified foods communications unit which operated from the Cabinet Office between July 1999 to March/April 2000.
	Note 2: Communication Group now provides a central communications resource for the majority of Cabinet Office management units. Some units still maintain their own communication resource, and more did so prior to 2004. It is not possible to provide details for the staff working on communications outside of the main units without incurring disproportionate costs.
	Note 3: The functions of Government Communications and its predecessor GICS have changed significantly over this period. This is reflected in the variations in staff numbers.
	Note 4: From 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2005, the Government News Network (GNN) was part of the Cabinet Office. It is now managed once again by COI. GNN provides a service across the whole of government.

Cabinet Office: Staff

Baroness Wilcox: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many individuals were employed full-time by the Cabinet Office in each of the past eight years.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The number of individuals employed by the Cabinet Office in each of the past eight years is shown in the table.
	
		Permanent and casual Cabinet Office staff full-time equivalent basis
		
			 As at: FTE 
			 31 Dec 2004 1 1,920 
			 1 April 2004 1,840 
			 1 April 2003 1,950 
			 1 April 2002 2,130 
			 1 April 2001 2,050 
			 1 April 2000 1,800 
			 1 April 1999 1,610 
			 1 April 1998 2,650 
			 1 April 1999 2,660 
		
	
	Source: Cabinet Office, Personnel Statistics
	Note: Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.
	1. Data collected by the Office for National Statistics as part of the new quarterly public sector employment statistics.
	Staff numbers will have been affected by machinery of government changes over the period in question. Reasons for change in numbers can be found on the Civil Service Statistics website at www.civilservice.gov.uk/management–information/statistical–information/statistics/departmental–changes/index.asp.

Common Agricultural Policy: Rural Development Support

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What percentage of rural development support from the common agricultural policy they estimate will be taken up by schemes targeted at (a) countryside stewardship; (b) hill farming; (c) forestry and woodland; (d) organic crops; (e) energy crops; and (f) project support for the rural development process from 1 January 2007 onwards.

Lord Bach: The planned expenditure available to farmers and other beneficiaries under EU co-financed rural development schemes in 2006 is set out in the England Rural Development Programme for 2000–06, as amended following the introduction of environmental stewardship. Full programme documentation, including expenditure tables, is available from the Defra website.
	If the noble Baroness would like information on expenditure under the rural development programmes for 2007–13, that will depend on decisions yet to be taken on:
	funds allocated to the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development under the negotiations on the future financing of the EU;
	the share of that funding allocated to the United Kingdom and, within the UK total, to England;
	the extent to which the UK is permitted to make transfers from subsidy payments to rural development schemes ("modulation"); and
	national co-financing of the EU expenditure.
	The share of rural development support allocated to individual measures under the Rural Development Regulation will depend in part on the overall total of expenditure available, and in part on ministerial decisions following a consultation later this year on how the rural development regulation is to be implemented in England. Some parameters have, however, already been set: the draft Rural Development Regulation on which political agreement was reached at the Agriculture Council meeting on 20 and 21 June establishes minimum percentages for the contribution from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development to each of three priority areas: improving competitiveness of farming and forestry (10 per cent), environment and land management (25 per cent), diversification and broader rural development (10 per cent) and leader (5 per cent).
	It is likely that the great majority of funding in England will be allocated to agri-environment schemes and to other measures covered by the environment and land management axis (which includes the measures listed at points (a) to (b), by the noble Baroness).

Criminal Justice Inspectorates

Baroness Stern: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the tour of the United States by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, and the invitation she received to carry out prison inspections in Canada, has altered their view on the proposed amalgamation of the criminal justice inspectorates.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Government's view on the proposed amalgamation of the criminal justice inspectorates has been subject to consultation. In March we published the consultation document Inspection Reform: Establishing an Inspectorate for Justice and Community Safety. We are now considering the responses to that consultation. We are well aware of, and take pride in, the strong international reputation of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons and will be taking that into account. We intend to publish a policy statement by the end of the year.

Ethiopia

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What action they will take, during their presidency of the European Union, to help ensure that the will of the Ethiopian people is observed, following the widespread allegations of irregularities in the recent elections.

Lord Triesman: We have made our concerns clear to the government of Ethiopia and will continue to do so bilaterally and in co-operation with our EU partners during our presidency. The Ethiopian National Elections Board is currently investigating allegations of irregularities in a number of constituencies. The European Union observer mission is continuing to monitor this process and will issue its final verdict on the quality of the election when all the results are known. As president, we will co-ordinate the response of our EU partners and the Commission in the light of the mission's conclusions.

EU: China Arms Embargo

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, during their presidency of the European Union, they will resist attempts to weaken the European Union's arms embargo against China; and whether they will seek to commission a European Union investigation of the alleged Chinese sale of jet fighters and military vehicles to Zimbabwe.

Lord Triesman: The review of the EU arms embargo on China is ongoing. The UK, as president of the EU, will continue to work with EU partners to take forward work on the review, subject to satisfaction of the criteria laid out in the conclusions of the European Council in December 2004.
	The UK has, in our bilateral discussions with China on strategic export controls and as part of EU-China discussions, stressed the importance of refusing exports where there is a clear risk that they might be used for internal repression. While we cannot prevent third countries selling arms to Zimbabwe, we try to monitor such sales, and lobby against them, at national or EU level, where possible. The Chinese authorities are well aware of our views on the supply of military equipment to Zimbabwe and other regimes subject to EU arms embargoes. We will continue to uphold the EU's arms embargo on Zimbabwe.

Europe: Regulations

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many regulations have been made by the European Economic Community, the European Community and the European Union respectively, applicable to the United Kingdom without further enactment; and in which English-language publication they are most conveniently listed for the public.

Lord Triesman: Regulations are made by the European Community (formerly the EEC) and by the Euratom Community, but not by the European Union. Under the EC and Euratom Treaties, "Regulations have general application: they are binding in their entirety and directly applicable in all Member States".
	For the numbers of regulations adopted each year since 1980, I refer the noble Lord to the Answer which my honourable friend the then Minister for Europe (Denis MacShane) gave in another place to the honourable Member for Glasgow Pollok (Ian Davidson) on 22 March 2005 (Official Report, Commons, Col. 795W).
	Regulations are published in the Official Journal of the European Communities, which is widely available in all the official languages of the EU in legal and other public libraries, and on the Internet at www.europa.eu.int/eur-lex/lex/en/index.htm.

Extradition Act 2003: Babar Ahmad

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether in considering extradition to the United States in the case of Mr Babar Ahmad they will give full weight to (a) the conclusion of the Bow Street magistrate that his alleged offences could have been tried here, if the evidence were provided; (b) the possibility that he might be subjected to military custody and jurisdiction, or to transfer to a third country; and (c) the absence at present of reciprocity in extradition.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The case of Babar Ahmad is currently before my right honourable friend the Home Secretary for a decision as to extradition. This decision will be taken in accordance with Section 93 of the Extradition Act 2003.

Food and Drink Imports

Lord Christopher: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the annual tonnage of food imported into the United Kingdom from countries outside the European Union; what types or groups of food form this total; where the food comes from; and what proportions of United Kingdom consumption of each type or group of food these imports represent.

Lord Bach: The attached table shows the annual tonnage of food, feed and drink imported into the UK in 2004 from countries outside the European Union.
	Estimates of the proportions these imports represent of United Kingdom consumption are not readily available for each of the individual food groups. However, in total it is estimated that approximately 15 per cent. of food consumed in the United Kingdom is imported from outside the European Union.
	
		UK imports of food, feed and drink from outside of the European Union, 2004 -- Thousand tonnes
		
			 Country Meat Dairy Fish Cereals Fruit andvegetables Sugar Coffee,tea, etc. Animalfeed Miscellaneous Drink Oils Total 
			 Brazil 144  2 34 190 36 33 1,087 2 2 602 2,131 
			 USA 4 2 33 181 153 117 6 1,106 17 197 127 1,947 
			 Malaysia 0  4 2 2 0 5 539 7 1 71 785 
			 Argentina 21  2 161 69 5 4 366 0 20 18 667 
			 Mauritius   25  1 520   0 0 0 546 
			 South Africa 0 2 3 2 396 2 10 0 4 108 1 528 
			 Canada 0 5 18 293 117 2 2 6 5 9 31 488 
			 Indonesia 0 0 12 1 6 0 27 191 2 0 26 392 
			 Australia 20 7 0 6 23 28 1 1 3 274 1 368 
			 India 0 0 13 129 55 2 37 0 2 1 40 286 
			 Turkey 0 0 0 2 232 14 3 0 2 21 0 275 
			 Chile 6  3  148 5 0 7  89 0 258 
			 New Zealand 94 10 4 1 119 1 0 2 0 22 0 255 
			 Costa Rica   0  245  2  0   247 
			 Colombia   2 0 95 1 14  0 0  218 
			 China 0  27 9 91 3 17 3 18 4 23 197 
			 Thailand 47  25 27 59 11 3 4 13 5 0 194 
			 Papua New Guinea   2 0 0  3   0 3 189 
			 Jamaica   0 0 34 136 0  0 8  178 
			 Israel 0 0 0 1 159 5 1 0 5 2 0 174 
			 Fiji   0  0 1720  173 
			 Iceland 1 0 96 0 0  0 40 0 1 0 170 
			 Pakistan   3 35 15 102 1  1 0 0 158 
			 Cameroon   0  143  30 147 
			 Belize 90 51  141 
			 Ghana 0  22 0 18 0 74 0 1 0 14 131 
			 Morocco 0  8 0 67 40 0 7 0 1  123 
			 Kenya   0 0 41 0 77  0 0 0 120 
			 Guyana   0 6 0 1010  108 
			 Egypt   0 22 71 3 0 0 0 3 1 101 
			 Other Non-EU 26 3 221 37 426 383 157 249 35 114 23 1,712 
			 Grand Total 363 29 527 951 3,066 1,738 481 3,609 117 881 984 13,407 
		
	
	Crown Copyright
	Source: H M Customs and Excise
	Data prepared by Trade Statistics, Food Chain Analysis 3, Defra
	2004 data is subject to amendments until 30/06/05

Fraud Trials

Lord Christopher: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which fraud trials would have fallen within the 15 to 20 trials a year that the Attorney-General proposed should be heard without juries for each of the past five years; and what were the length and outcome of each trial.

Lord Goldsmith: It is not possible to identify individual past cases which might have been suitable for trial without a jury as provided for by Section 43 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003.

Guantanamo Bay: Jamel Abdullah

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why they have not so far taken up with the United States Government the cases of Mr Jamel Abdullah and other former British residents, detained at Guantanamo Bay without trial or access to their families and to legal advice.

Lord Triesman: Mr Jamel Abdullah, otherwise known as Anthony Kiyemba is not a British national. It is long-standing government policy that we provide consular assistance only to British nationals. However, my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary exceptionally agreed earlier this year that a Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister should meet with the families and legal representatives of Mr Abdullah and the other former British residents detained at Guantanamo Bay to listen to their concerns. My noble friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean, the then Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, met with the representatives of Mr Abdullah on 22 March. The concerns raised at that meeting have been passed to the US authorities.

HM Revenue and Customs

Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the status of the external routing interface component system being introduced by HM Revenue and Customs.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: The external routing interface component moved from testing to live running on 5 June and is processing employers' annual returns for 2004–05.

HM Revenue and Customs

Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the processing of employers' 2004–05 returns of employees' tax and national insurance records was satisfactory.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: The processing of employer's annual returns for 2004–05 is progressing and HM Revenue and Customs expect to meet its targets to process 97 per cent of returns by 31 December 2005 and 98 per cent by 31 March 2006.

Homicides

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	On what basis statistics for England and Wales, initially recording homicides between 1997–98 and 2002–03 at 5,853, now record 5,314 homicides; and what comparable statistical analysis is available for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The information referred to relates to the period 1997–98 to 2003–04. Figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and by the courts, or as further information becomes available. In nearly three-quarters of the cases that are no longer recorded as homicide, the suspect was acquitted on such grounds as an accident or self-defence. Other reasons include the suspect found guilty of a lesser offence or the case discharged at magistrates' court. Information relating to Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for Ministers in the Scottish Parliament and the Northern Ireland Office.

Homicides

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What have been the primary causes of the 20 per cent rise in recorded homicides in England and Wales between 1997–98 and 2003–04; and whether similar information is available for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The latest available information on homicide was published in Home Office Statistical Bulletin number 02/05, Crime in England and Wales 2003–04: Supplementary Volume 1: Homicide and Gun Crime. This is available from the website www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/index.htm. Information relating to Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for Ministers in the Scottish Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly respectively.

Housing: Design for Manufacture

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many £60,000 homes they expect to be built by 2010 under the first-time buyers initiative Design for Manufacture competition.

Baroness Andrews: It is expected that a total of around 1,000 homes will be built under the Design for Manufacture competition; lessons learnt from the 1,000 homes will aim to influence about 100,000 more over next three years. The competition challenges developers to build quality two bedroom homes at a construction cost of approximately £784 per square metre, which equates to £60,000, or less. About a third of the homes will be built to this size and cost—the rest will be larger or smaller, in order to provide a mix of dwellings. But all of them will be built at similar cost per square metre.

InterTradeIreland

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the religious make-up of the staff of InterTradeIreland.

Lord Rooker: At 1 June 2005, InterTradeIreland employed 38 permanent staff. The religious make-up of these staff is 81.5 per cent. Catholic and 18.5 per cent Protestant.

Lord Birt

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Prime Minister's Strategy Adviser, the Lord Birt, is, or has been, present at discussions on political matters as well as official ones.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Information relating to party political discussions is not a matter for government.

McKinsey and Co.

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	(a) whether McKinsey and Company Incorporated is currently carrying out any work for the Department for Work and Pensions; (b) how many projects the firm has carried out for the department during each year in the past five years; (c) for each project, how long such work lasted and how many McKinsey and Company employees were involved; (d) what was the nature of the contracts with the company; and (e) what was the total value of payments made by the department to McKinsey and Company Incorporated in each of the past five years.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: McKinsey and Company Incorporated is not currently carrying out any work for the Department for Work and Pensions and has not carried out any projects for the department in the past five years.

McKinsey and Co.

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	On how many occasions in the past five years Mr Ian Davis, managing director of McKinsey and Company Incorporated, visited 10 Downing Street; on each occasion what official or Minister he met; what issues were discussed; and whether an official minute was kept.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The information requested is not held centrally and to obtain the information would incur disproportionate costs.

McKinsey and Co.

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the United Kingdom-based operation of McKinsey and Company Incorporated is currently carrying out work for any executive non-department public body or advisory non-department public body sponsored by H M Treasury; and, if so (a) how many projects the firm has carried out for each of those bodies in the past five years; (b) for each project, how long such work lasted and how many McKinsey employees were involved; (c) what was the nature of the contracts with each of the bodies; and (d) what was the total value of payments made by each such body to the company in each of the past five years.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: I understand that no work has been carried out by McKinsey and Company Incorporated for any public body sponsored by the Treasury.

Ministry of Defence: Strategic Capabilities

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What strategic capabilities the Ministry of Defence will seek to develop in the United Kingdom in the next decade.

Lord Drayson: The capabilities that the Ministry of Defence will seek to develop in the next decade are set out in Delivering Security in a Changing World, Future Capabilities (Cm 6269).
	The future capabilities paper sets out the changes that we will make to both force structures and capabilities to ensure that our Armed Forces are best placed to meet the operational requirements of the 21st century.
	The capabilities that we will acquire or further develop include: network enabled capability (enabling the Armed Forces to respond quickly and decisively in a co-ordinated fashion, allowing the same military effect to be achieved with less), new aircraft carriers (improving our Army's ability to project power from the sea), a medium-weight land forces capability based on the future rapid effects system (improving our deployability, agility and flexibility), the Typhoon and Joint Combat Aircraft (able to deliver world-class offensive and defensive air capabilities) as well as C-17 and A400M air transport aircraft (providing enhanced tactical and strategic airlift to all three services).
	The capabilities are already being implemented and will continue to be, over the coming months and years.

National Insurance Contributions

Lord Steinberg: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have any plans to increase national insurance contributions.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: From April 2003 an additional 1 per cent. national insurance contribution (NIC) by employers, employees and the self-employed was introduced on all earnings above the NICs threshold to deliver the largest sustained spending growth in the history of the NHS while meeting the fiscal rules.

National Offender Management Service

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why the National Offender Management Service has decided not to enter into any strategic partnership for services to be supplied uniformly throughout England and Wales and has required service providers to bid individually to supply each regional offender manager with identical services, even when there is no competitive service on offer.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: It is not correct to suggest that the National Offender Management Service has decided against having any strategic partnerships for delivery of services across England and Wales. Through contracting, NOMS already has partnership arrangements in place for a range of services including property services, electronic monitoring and prison escort and custody services. NOMS will look centrally at what needs to be provided and will put in place the most appropriate strategy for delivery of those services, which may be at a national, regional or local level depending on the service and market place. Where identical services are required across regional boundaries NOMS will not be looking for service providers to bid individually to provide the service to each region.

National Savings and Investment: Competition

Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why private sector undertakings are not allowed to compete on equal terms with National Savings and Investment by providing consumers with other tax-free products, such as alternatives to premium bonds or children's bonds.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: Private sector organisations are able to provide a range of tax-advantaged products to savers including individual savings accounts, child trust fund accounts and friendly society tax exempt saving plans.
	The Government's policies on this wide range of tax-favoured savings and investments provide over £2 billion every year in tax relief to savers. NS&I is unique in the retail savings market as it is a debt-financing arm of the Government. As such, NS&I has been responsible for raising finance for successive administrations. Its sole objective has been the delivery of cost effective debt financing since 2000.

Northern Ireland Civil Service

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many people have been appointed to the Northern Ireland Civil Service without open competition since 2000.

Lord Rooker: The attached table shows the number of appointments made to the Northern Ireland Civil Service without open competition since 2000.
	
		
			 Year Number 
			 2000 16 
			 2001 26 
			 2002 7 
			 2003 *235 
			 2004 9 
			 Total 293 
		
	
	* includes 218 appointments to the Youth Justice Agency.

Northern Ireland Parades Commission

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	From what source the Northern Ireland Parades Commission obtains legal advice.

Lord Rooker: The Parades Commission obtains legal advice from the Crown Solicitor's Office, Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland Parades Commission

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether any forms, files or information have been disclosed without authority from the Northern Ireland Parades Commission since 2002; and, if so, when such disclosure occurred; what was disclosed; and when the disclosure was discovered.

Lord Rooker: The Parades Commission is not aware of the disclosure of any forms, files or information without authority having been made since 2002.

Northern Ireland Parades Commission

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which body the Northern Ireland Parades Commission has paid for legal advice in each year since its creation; and how much has been paid.

Lord Rooker: The Parades Commission has advised that it does not normally pay for legal advice to any outside body and receives notional invoices from the Crown Solicitor's Office which are not paid from its budget.

Northern Ireland Parades Commission

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What plans they have to abolish or reconstruct the Northern Ireland Parades Commission.

Lord Rooker: The membership of the Parades Commission is being reconstituted during the autumn/winter, and the commission will be reviewing its procedures and documentation in the autumn.

Northern Ireland: Autistic Spectrum Disorder

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answers by the Lord Rooker on 8 June (WA90–91) and 14 June (WA119), whether they will indicate how, in Northern Ireland, they estimated a yearly figure of 200 children and young people requiring autistic spectrum disorder provision; how they identified a requirement of £0.5 million; and whether that was a one-off, fixed or variable annual grant.

Lord Rooker: Following the submission of a four-board paper on the development of autism services and in consultation with the four boards, the department allocated an additional £0.5 million recurrent funding to improve the life outcome for 200 children and young people with autism. Multidisciplinary diagnostic assessment and early intervention teams are now operational within each health and social services board area.

Northern Ireland: Autistic Spectrum Disorder

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What co-ordination is being developed among trusts, boards and the Northern Ireland Office to address issues pertaining to autistic spectrum disorder on a strategically planned basis.

Lord Rooker: The Department of Health, Personal Social Services and Public Safety and the Department of Education have an interdepartmental special educational needs steering group, with administrative and professional representation, to ensure that each department's resources and services are deployed to best effect to meet the needs of children and young people, including those with an autistic spectrum disorder

Northern Ireland: Autistic Spectrum Disorder

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have a legal obligation to provide an applied behavioural analysis, otherwise known as the Lovass approach, for children with autistic spectrum disorder; how many decisions on this matter have been handed down by the courts in Northern Ireland: and how any such legal obligation can be met on the basis of the Northern Ireland Office's current approach.

Lord Rooker: Special education provision is made to meet the individual needs of the child. There is no legal obligation on education and library boards and boards of governors of schools to put in place any specific special educational provision or to adopt any specified approach. Each case has to be assessed on its merits.
	Education and library boards have a statutory duty to meet the special educational needs of children in their area for whom they are responsible
	In relation to decisions handed down by the courts in this matter education and library boards have provided the following information:
	Belfast Education and Library Board None
	North Eastern Education and Library Board None
	South Eastern Education and Library Board 3
	Southern Education and Library Board None
	Western Education and Library Board None

Northern Ireland: Continence Services

Baroness Blood: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What action has been taken by the Northern Ireland Department for Health, Social Services and Public Safety since the publication of Good Practice in Continence Services in 2000 in relation to (a) identification of patients in Northern Ireland with incontinence; (b) treatment in primary care within Northern Ireland; and (c) integration of primary, secondary and tertiary continence services within Northern Ireland.

Lord Rooker: It is for each Health and Social Services Board to commission continence services appropriate to the assessed needs of its resident population. In commissioning these, services boards are expected to have regard to the recommendations of the department's Central Nursing Advisory Committee 1995 report on the review of continence services.
	I expect boards to share their experiences of best practice and draw on similar initiatives taken forward in other parts of the United Kingdom, including the Department of Health's 2000 report entitled Good Practice in Continence Services and the 2001 Essence of Care project benchmark for continence services, in developing local continence services.

Northern Ireland: Prison Early Release Scheme

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How the movements and activities of prisoners who obtained early release under the terms of the Belfast agreement are monitored; who determines if and when a breach of release conditions has occurred; and under what circumstances the presence of an early-release prisoner at flash-points and sectarian interfaces during civil disorder would constitute a breach of release conditions.

Lord Rooker: An individual would not automatically be monitored purely due to the fact that they have been released early under the terms of the Belfast agreement. It is incumbent upon each individual, so released, to behave and act within the terms of their early release licence. If circumstances exist that lead the police to believe such individuals are involved in the commission of criminal acts, or are acting in breach of their early release licence, they would gather evidence and intelligence, and present it to the relevant authorities.
	The Secretary of State may suspend a licence if he believes that the person concerned has broken or is likely to break a condition of his licence. He makes his decision on the basis of the information available to him and in accordance with the provisions of Section 9 of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998.
	The Secretary of State bases his decision to suspend a licence on evidential reports submitted by the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland: Knife Crime

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether there is a knife culture in Northern Ireland; and, in each year from 2000 to 2004 (a) how many murders or injuries have been the result of a knife attack; (b) how many people have been charged with serious crime involving a knife; and (c) how many people have been charged with possession of a knife with intent.

Lord Rooker: Knife crime is unacceptable in any community, in Northern Ireland as in the rest of the UK. The Government and the PSNI take it very seriously and are working to tackle it. The Government are committed to ensuring that the police have all of the powers they need to combat knife crime, and is bringing forward legislation in the Violent Crime Reduction Bill to address this problem.

Northern Ireland: Newspaper Funding

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether there is a requirement in Northern Ireland for government-funded newspapers to be non-political, non-sectarian or community based publications; and whether they fund any newspapers in Northern Ireland.

Lord Rooker: Several newspapers in Northern Ireland have received funding from Northern Ireland departments, agencies and NDPBs. Funding was provided for a variety of purposes and was therefore not governed by a generic set of criteria.

Northern Ireland: Police Ombudsman

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the per capita cost of maintaining the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland in terms of the Police Ombudsman's budget set against total number of serving police officers in Northern Ireland, over the period April 2001 to March 2005.

Lord Rooker: The Police Ombudsman's annual budget is set at a level to allow the Police Ombudsman to fulfil her legal obligations under Part VII of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998 and is not based on numbers of serving officers within the Police Service of Northern Ireland. However the table below sets out the per capita cost of the total number of serving police officers in Northern Ireland against the budget of the Office of the Police Ombudsman.
	
		
			 Year Ending Total Number of Serving PSNI Officers (including Reserve officers) Budget of Police Ombudsman Office Per Capita Cost 
			 March 2002 10,498 £5,815,000 £554 
			 March 2003 9,868 £6,838,000 £693 
			 March 2004 9,840 £6,925,000 £704 
			 March 2005 9,835 £7,410,000 £753

Northern Ireland: Police Ombudsman

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the per capita cost of a criminal conviction in Northern Ireland in terms of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland's budget set against the total number of successful convictions arising from a Police Ombudsman recommendation to prosecute, over the period April 2001 to March 2005.

Lord Rooker: The Police Ombudsman's primary function is to provide a system for handling all complaints against the police.
	The Police Ombudsman advises that the information asked for is not available in the form requested. However the ombudsman's annual budget from April 2001 to March 2005 is as follows.
	2001–02 £5,815,000
	2002–03 £6,838,000
	2003–04 £6,925,000
	2004–05 £7,410,000
	The Police Ombudsman also advises that during this period over 14,000 complaints have been handled by her office resulting in 585 files being referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions, who is also independent and makes the determination in criminal prosecutions. In 48 cases, 65 charges were recommended; to date the Director of Public Prosecutions has directed 28 charges relating to 24 police officers, some files still await direction. Of the 24 officers prosecuted, eight cases are still outstanding and of those completed four were found guilty and one other matter was dealt with by an official caution.

Northern Ireland: Recruitment

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 22 June (WA 182), whether there is a serial claimant culture in Northern Ireland; and to what extent local councils settle claims irrespective of their merit, rather than incurring legal costs.

Lord Rooker: The information requested is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The Department of the Environment has no evidence, however, that there is a serial claimant culture in Northern Ireland. A district council would not be expected to settle any claim, unless there is merit in doing so. In each case, it is for the council to decide whether to settle out of court or to exercise its power to take legal proceedings. Any substantial settlements relating to appointments would be open to audit scrutiny.

Police Vehicles: Testing

Lord Monson: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will make representations to chief constables to prohibit the testing of police cars in the early hours of the morning at speeds of up to 80 miles per hour in those urban areas where pubs and clubs will be allowed to remain open after 1am under the provisions of the Licensing Act 2003.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We do not believe this necessary. How a vehicle's performance is tested and how officers are trained to drive vehicles at speed are operational matters for individual chief officers. The police can exceed a speed limit only if observing it would hinder the achievement of a police purpose. When it is necessary for them to exceed the limit they will exercise the greatest care, professional judgment and common sense at all times to ensure the safety of the public.

Prisons: Religious Accommodation

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, for each of the prisons planned or under construction in England and Wales, they will state the area to be provided for the chaplaincies; and whether they will place copies of drawings of the religious accommodation in each of these prisons in the Library of the House.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: No new prisons are planned or under construction at the present time. New prisons built recently have been required to provide adequate facilities for worship by all faiths.

Railways: Oxford to Bicester Service

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the estimated cost savings to be made in (a) infrastructure costs; (b) train hire; and (c) train operating costs, by reducing the number of services from seven to two per weekday between Oxford and Bicester; and what is the estimated reduction in passenger numbers and revenue from ticket sales.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The proposed changes to the Oxford to Bicester service pattern are contained in the invitation to tender for the new Greater Western franchise, which is currently out to tender. As such, the release of this information could prejudice commercial negotiations.

Sellafield

Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their response to the written question number 471, concerning the Sellafield nuclear plant, submitted to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe by Mr Michael Hagberg of Sweden.

Lord Bach: The Government have not so far been asked by the Council of Europe for a response to this question about plutonium discharges from Sellafield.
	All discharges from Sellafield are rigorously regulated by the Environment Agency to ensure that they do not pose a significant risk to human health or the environment. The current limit for liquid plutonium discharges from Sellafield is 700 gigabecquerels. This is the same as the previous limit. Actual discharges are currently less than half this limit.
	The question by Mr Hagberg also refers to a leak at the thermal oxide reprocessing plant. This leak was entirely contained within a secondary shielded cell which was designed for this purpose. There was, therefore, no release to the environment of any radioactive material from this incident.
	The Government have committed themselves to the objective of reducing radioactive discharges in the period to 2020. In 2002 the Government published a strategy on radioactive discharges demonstrating how this objective would be achieved.

EU: Treaty of Nice

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Upon which clauses in the Treaty of Nice the European Union relies for the following initiatives (a) European Union space programme; (b) Fundamental Rights Agency in Vienna; (c) European Union foreign embassies; and (d) troops in the Congo under the European Union flag.

Lord Triesman: The European Space Programme will implement the European Space Policy, which is due to be agreed by the end of 2005. The sixth framework programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities, contributing to the creation of the European research area and to innovation (2002–06) covers "aeronautics and space". It takes forward the Council decision of 30 September 2002 adopting a specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration, "Integrating and strengthening the European Research Area" (2002–06), which was agreed on the basis of Article 166(3) of the treaty establishing the European Community. A specific implementing measure of the sixth framework programme was the European Commission's Green Paper entitled European Space Policy.
	The European Commission has adopted two proposals for the establishment of the fundamental rights agency, a proposal for a Council regulation establishing a European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, based on Article 308 of the treaty establishing the European Community; and a proposal for a Council decision empowering the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights to pursue its activities in areas referred to in Title VI of the Treaty on European Union, based on Articles 30, 31 and 34(2)(c) of the Treaty on European Union.
	The European Union does not have any embassies overseas. However, the European Commission has 123 missions to third countries, five missions to international organisations, four representations and offices, and seven technical offices. These represent the EU in areas of Commission competence such as external trade and European Commission development assistance. The first Commission overseas mission was established in 1954. The legal base for the establishment of Commission delegations in third countries derives from the Commission's powers under the treaty establishing the European Community including Articles 211, 217 and 302.
	The legal bases of the EU-led crisis management mission Operation Artemis in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2003 were Articles 14, 17(2), 18(5), 25, 26 and 28(3) of the Treaty on European Union, in support of the overall objectives for the common foreign and security policy as set out in Article 11 of the Treaty on European Union.

EU: Treaty of Nice

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Under which clauses in the Treaty of Nice the European Court of Justice made a recent ruling that the Community has power to decide on judicial procedures in member states.

Lord Triesman: The case referred to in the question is Case C– 105/03, Maria Pupino, on which the judgment was delivered on 16 June. The judgment can be found at www.curia.eu.int/jurisp/cgi-bin/form.pl?lang=en&Submit=Submit&docj=docj&numaff=105%2F03&datefs=&datefe=&nomusuel=&domaine=&mots=&resmax=100.
	The case concerned a request for a preliminary ruling from an Italian criminal court, in which the Court of Justice was asked to rule on the scope of the framework decision on the standing of victims in criminal proceedings. The court had jurisdiction to give such a ruling because Italy had accepted the jurisdiction of the court by a declaration under Article 35 (2) of the Treaty of European Union.
	The UK has not made a declaration giving the court jurisdiction in such cases so there could not be a similar reference from a UK court.

Uzbekistan: Land Rover Defenders

Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What conclusions they have reached on the origin of Land Rover Defender vehicles used in the massacre of protesters in Uzbekistan in May; and what action they are going to take.

Lord Triesman: It is the Government's understanding that the Land Rover Defenders in question were supplied by a Turkish company to the Turkish Government who then gifted the vehicles to the Uzbek Government. Inquiries into this are continuing. The Government understand that Land Rover sells flat pack civil Land Rover Defenders to the Turkish company, that then assembles and rebadges them for onward sale under its own name, using its own products and components, and according to designs for which that company holds the intellectual property rights. These are not Land Rover approved products.
	Under the EC Dual-Use Regulation and our own domestic legislation, the UK has no power to control the export of civilian specification Land Rovers. The export of civilian vehicles converted by a Turkish company using its own technology and without UK involvement is a matter for Turkish export controls.
	More generally, the UK has been at the forefront in condemning the indiscriminate and disproportionate use of force by the Uzbek authorities in Andizhan. When my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary first heard the reports of troops firing on demonstrators, he urged the Uzbek Government to allow an independent, international investigation. We are pleased that the US, the UN, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and NATO have all done the same.
	On 13 June, the EU's General Affairs External Relations Council (GAERC) gave the Uzbek Government until the end of the month to agree to an independent, international enquiry. The GAERC made clear that partial suspension of co-operation under the partnership for co-operation agreement was likely to be one consequence of failure to do so. The EU is also considering a range of other options, which could include an EU visa ban for Uzbek Ministers, and an arms embargo.

Zimbabwe: Asylum Seekers

Lord Ouseley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many asylum seekers and refugees from Zimbabwe are being held in the United Kingdom for deportation or exclusion to Zimbabwe; and whether those returnees will be safe from abuse, torture and harassment when back in Zimbabwe.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: On 30 June 2005, 117 failed Zimbabwean asylum seekers were held in the UK detention estate awaiting removal to Zimbabwe. The asylum decision-making and independent appeals processes ensure that only those failed asylum seekers who would not be at risk of treatment that amounted to persecution under the 1951 Refugee Convention or that would engage our obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights will be returned to their country of origin. If an unsuccessful claimant submits new information to show it would no longer be safe for them to return as a result of developments since their claim was refused, we will consider that information. If we decide it is still safe to remove but regard the information as nevertheless amounting to a fresh claim, a decision to proceed with removal would generate a further right of appeal. We do not actively monitor returnees, to Zimbabwe or to any other country—the processes outlined above ensure that we would not return someone if we believed them to be at risk. However, we will investigate any specific allegations of mistreatment of returnees. We are aware of uncorroborated reports that failed asylum seekers have been detained on arrival in Zimbabwe. We have investigated these reports where the returnees have been identified but the local and international human rights organisations we consulted were aware of only one unsubstantiated report of ill-treatment by a returnee, who was subsequently released. No corroborating evidence was found and there is no evidence that returnees have been systematically mistreated.